Avatar: Firestorm
by JasoCS
Summary: Zuko must make a desperate move to stop Azula from caoturing the Avatar before him, and in the process, he ignites a new conflict. Set in between Zuko alone and The ChasePossible AU. Please read and rate.
1. Fire and Lightning

**Avatar: Firestorm**

**Chapter 1: Fire and Lightning**

_Boom!_

The bolt of blue lightning hit its' target with pin-point accuracy, tearing a meter wide hole in the chest of the human-shaped wooden dummy. It was the fifth figure to be destroyed on the deck of the Fire Nation flagship today. The others were littered on the metal deck around it, everyone with at least one quarter of it missing.

Princess Azula smiled evilly, satisfied with the destruction she had caused. "That blast could have gone through the Avatar, his friends, even his damn bison," she commented, wishing that had been the case. "Still, finding them is the main problem. Killing them should be a snap."

The Fire Nation princess had been chasing the Avatar for about a mount, and in that time she had learned just how allusive he could be.

Under normal circumstances, she would have found her target and killed it by now. Unfortunately for Azula, these were anything but normal circumstances. The fact that the boy was the Avatar was complication enough, but that wasn't the worst factor.

Her brother and uncle was making this mission more frustrating by the minute. Iroh had betrayed the Fire Nation by turning on Admiral Zhao at the north pole, and Zuko had followed suit, by personally killing the Admiral. This had marked them both as traitors to the Fire Lord. He would not stand for traitors, especially those who were his son and brother.

Now, Azula had to track the Avatar, his friends, and two traitors through enemy territory. Not an easy job in any way.

Luckily for Azula, she also had allies. "Wow! You really showed that dummy who's boss!" cried out Ty Lee in her ever-happy tone.

"Yah, that would have been messy," said Mai. She was just about the polar opposite of Ty Lee, with her heavy tone, and dark outlook on life. "But didn't the Fire Lord want the Avatar alive?"

"Yes, father did want him alive." Azula approached the dummy, pressing her hand against the wooden face, right below the painted blue arrow. "And I'll make sure he gets his wish." Within a few seconds, smoke began to rise, and the figure's head ignited in red flame. "But, he didn't happen to say anything about his friends."

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"No!" Zuko screamed as he awoke, his face covered in sweat. More nightmares. More visions of the past. More visions of home.

The exiled fire prince sat up, and instantly realized why people usually slept on a mattress. His back had small rocks imbedded in it, each of them causing considerable pain. A normal person would complain. But years ago, Zuko had learned what true pain was, and now he had a scar on his face to prove it.

Zuko also felt the bruises from his most recent engagement, where he had fought several corrupt Earth Kingdom soldiers. He had saved a town from their grip, and then they had banished him after learning who he was. They had turned their backs on him, just as his father had. _Ungrateful bastards._

Now he was stcuk in the middle of the desert, with limited supplies and no allies. It was ironic that this time a month ago, he had command of a ship, and two years before that, he was the prince of the greatest nation in the world.

Things were definitely on a downward spiral.

_I'll have it all back one day. _

The sun had just peaked over the horizon, and instantly Zuko felt it's rejuvenating effects. All over the Earth Kingdom, Firebenders would be feeling the same effect, and many of them would take the opportunity to launch attacks.

As he picked up his bag, he realized just how hungry he was. A quick search of his bag revealed that he was out of food, and that ment he had to find some in a hurry, which would prove difficult in the desert.

"I'm sure uncle's already eating by now." Zuko and Iroh had gone their separate ways, and now Zuko was alone. That's how it should be. Zuko was too defiant to admit it, but he needed help. His uncle had been like a father to him since they left the Fire Nation, and Zuko had just abandoned him.

He would have to worry about that later, his current state of hunger was much more pressing at the moment. He picked up his bag, and resumed his journey of redemption.


	2. The Signal

**Chapter 2: The Signal**

Azula stood on her flagship's bridge, scanning the horizon. It was noon, time for the first report from the search teams. "It's time, why haven't they reported in?" she asked impatiently. She wasn't looking for an answer, nor would she get one. Most of the crew was terrified to speak to her.

The ship's captain stood next to her. An aging man who had served in the navy for years, he was the finest commanding officer in the Fire Nation. "If they don't report in within the next minute, I'll see to it that their punished."

Azula kept her gaze on the horizon. "If they don't report in in the next minute they won't make it back." Then, something caught her attention. It was a small glow that lit up a portion of the sky bright red. "Here it is."

From the glow, a missile shot two hundred feet straight into the sky, then exploded in a silent shower of yellow flame. It wasn't the best way to transfer messages, but it worked.

"Yellow," the Captain noted with disappointment in his voice. "They haven't found them."

Azula kept her composure, but inside, she was furious. "Maybe the next one."

After two more yellow explosions lit up different portions of the sky, Azula and the Captain's hopes were fading. "One more left," she commented.

"The last group is on the edge of the search pattern. It's doubtful they'll have found anything," he noted. "I recommend we re-organize the search tomorrow."

Azula still hadn't removed her gaze. "Agreed. But this last group won't be part of it. They're five minutes late, they get to search through the brig from now on."

The Captain didn't bother to argue with the young Firebender, for he knew that if he tried, she would toss him to the sharks without a second thought. "Understood. I'll make sure they're all sent their just as soon--"

He stopped mid sentence as he noticed the last rocket fly into the sky. But something was wrong, instead of flying straight into the sky, it flew off at a low angle, barely missing the tree tops before gaining altitude. It had been launched in a hurry. Then, Azula's heart leaped as it exploded in a blue fireball.

"Bingo." She turned to the Captain. "Assemble the crew."

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Ty Lee pushed her way through the crow of sailors and soldiers, trying to get to the front of the assembly on the flagship's main deck. She had been in her quarters, sleeping when the announcement came through. "Out of the way, friend of the royalty comin' through!" _Azula's gonna kill me if I'm late!_

After navigating to the front of the crowd she saw Azula and Mai standing on the bow, facing the crowd. "What took you?" asked Mai, who was flanking Azula on the left.

Ty Lee didn't bother to answer, she just took her spot on Azula's right. She had no idea what this was about, but she was going to stand by friend and pretend she did. Mai probably already knew.

Azula nodded to her, and Ty Lee realized she had a small smile on her face, this was good news. "Five minutes ago, search group E reported in. They have located the Avatar."

Several gasps ran through the group, but no one dared speak out of turn while Azula was present. "Needless to say, we will act now, and stike." She pointed off towards the shore. "There will be a rendezous at shore within the hour, and the search team will tell us the location of the Avatar." She turned back to the crew, her gaze hard. "Those of you selected for this strike will be commended for success. But, should you fail, you will be punished severely. Is that understood?"

The crew answered in unison. "Yes your highness!"

"Excellent. Your division officers will be givin a list of who is on the mission. They will come for you if your selected." Azula had decided upon a smaller group, only Ty Lee, Mai, and a small task force would accompany her. She wanted to catch the Avatar by surprise. "Dismissed."

As the crew filed out, the Captain approached Azula. "I suppose search group E will be commended as well?"

Azula turned her gaze away from the Captain, and back to the beach. "After the rendezvous team gets the information, they are to put the search team in custody."

"But they--"

"They were five minutes late. There is no excuse." Azula's tone indicated that the matter was closed.

The Captain opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it, a wise choice. He saluted, and headed back to the bridge.

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Zuko continued to wander the desert in his desperate search for food. Hunger was driving him forward, toward the mountain range in the distance. He knew that the Earth Village was behind him, and he couldn't go there, so that left the mountains as his main option. He knew that he might just drop dead before he even got to them, but he shoved that idea into the make of his mind and kept going, hoping for something.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was hoping for, but he knew the chances of finding anything in the mountains were limited.

_Just got to keep moving._

The desert seemed endless, with sand in all directions. The only true landmarks were rocks, and so far Zuko had passed three large ones, with about a mile gap between each. But, the mountains got closer.

_Three miles. Got to keep moving._

A snake crossed in front of him before narting under the sand. It was the fifth he had seen so far.

_Five snakes. Got to keep moving._

He kept walking, but his mind drifted, and he found himself back home, in the heart of the Fire nation. A massive figure stood above him, telling him that pain will be his teacher; Then his world was ingulfed my flame.

Zuko snapped back into reality, just in time to see a blue explosion light up the sky right above the far right mountain. That's a Fire nation signal! Zuko knew that every Fire Nation soldier was out to get him, and that they would likely shoot fire first, and ask questions later, but his stomach was dictating his actions, not his brain. Zuko turned for the right mountain, and headed towards the falling blue embers with a new sense of urgency.

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An hour later, he had reach the mountain. It looked alot smaller from a distance. Zuko's stomach ached again, if he didn't climb this he would die of hunger. But, there was a good chance that if he did climb it he would be killed by the Fire Nation. _No choice now_. He choose the shortest part of the mountain, and started the one-hundred foot climb.


End file.
